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Devastating Hit During OHL Hockey Game

Ben Fanelli of the Kitchener Rangers suffered a laceration above his eye which resulted in blood loss, as well as skull fractures, which would have been the result of falling backwards, helmet-less, onto the ice. Michael Liambis, the Otters player who hit Fanelli was ejected from the game with a match penalty for boarding. The league is reviewing the incident, but there is no word yet on any disciplinary action.

  • amnesiac
  • posted by amnesiac
  • Date 11/8/2009 9:05:49 PM
  • Views: 3169
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15 Comments

Current View: 15 / Show all Comments

dude_from_detroit : LVL 31: VP 4: said:

dude_from_detroit

16 votes NegativePositive

19 days 6 hours ago...

clean hit, elbows down, skates didnt leave the ice
"dont look down at the puck"

Vmob : LVL 37: VP 4.5: said:

Vmob

6 votes NegativePositive

19 days 3 hours ago...

/\ Also don`t turn away from a hit and do up the chin strap on your helmet.

HairyLikeAnimal : LVL 33: VP 4.2: said:

HairyLikeAnimal

5 votes NegativePositive

18 days 8 hours ago...

^ i dont think he even saw the hit coming, he was just turning to shoot the puck around the boards and it resulted in a hit from behind wich launched his head into the boards.

he most definitely had his chin strap done up though it was just a huge hit.

Dirt Digger : LVL 45: VP 5: said:

Dirt Digger

18 votes NegativePositive

18 days 6 hours ago...

OK...set the stage: Currently a season ticket holder for an OHL team. Played minor hockey for 13 years as a defenceman and reffed hockey for 6 years.

So...boarding call at the very least, but more of a charging (2 strides). Fanelli went in at a weird angle and didn`t see Liambis coming in because of the screen from the goal tender. You can see at the last second he actually turns away from Liambis to play the puck back around behind the net. Had he continued skating straight (left to right) the hit wouldn`t of been anything nearly as bad.

Also, very doubtful that he actually had his chin strap done up properly, which means not having enough room to slip your fist between the strap and your chin (most players wear it loose). You can see on one of the replays that it pops open.

No one goes out to intentionally injure another player. The hit itself was clean, however he did come in with way too much speed and was probably looking to make a big highlight reel check. Big crunch, make the boards shake, have the guy fall...no big deal. Happens all the time.

Last I heard, they had moved Fanelli to a hospital in Hamilton and he was breathing on his own. His OHL season is over and that may be his career as well. Liambis with a match will miss probably 5 games, maybe more depending on how the suits view the damage. I hate to think about what either of these two kids are going through right now.

Don`t know if it`ll work, but here`s a good thread covering the game / check:
http://tinyurl.com/ylhfs4e

Eclipx : LVL 34: VP 4.2: said:

Eclipx

15 votes NegativePositive

16 days 3 hours ago...

The guy got suspended for the entire regular season as well as the playoffs. Kinda harsh for a so-so clean hit.

Lowlystudent : LVL 28: VP 3.7: said:

Lowlystudent

2 votes NegativePositive

12 days 4 hours ago...

A harsh but clean hit. Scott Stevens made a career out making these boarderline hits.

ste7en : LVL 21: VP 3: said:

ste7en

-5 votes NegativePositive

12 days ago...

Did he died?

VanHalen : LVL 38: VP 4.6: said:

VanHalen

0 votes NegativePositive

11 days 23 hours ago...

no Fanelli didn`t die. If you look at the beginning, as Fanelli is coming to the net he looks up and see Liambis coming down the wing, so he did know he was coming. It was a clean hit, but a little fast sure, but Liambis had stopped skating before he even left the circle and glided into the hit. At the last moment Fanelli turned, which is one of the dumbest things you do. He set himself up for injury with that. In the end both sides were stupid in this. Liambis should have gotten a suspension, but not the rest of the year. Fanelli I hope is able to play again, something like this I wish doesn`t happen.

disco dirk : LVL 23: VP 3.2: said:

disco dirk

0 votes NegativePositive

11 days 18 hours ago...

Man, he crushed him, but to put this into perspective, Michael Liambas, the guy doing the hit, is 20 years old, 5`9 and 204 pounds. Ben Fanelli, while he`s 6`1, is almost 30 pounds lighter at 177 pounds, and 16 years old.

By allowing 16 year olds to be playing with older, often bigger, guys in the league, the OHL isn`t doing anything to help prevent this from happening again.

Delkam : LVL 31: VP 4: said:

Delkam

0 votes NegativePositive

11 days 17 hours ago...

it`s really a "big hits"... Owned... by a jackass [This guy have a certain reputation]. ( 0o )

chilleffect : LVL 1: VP 1: said:

chilleffect

0 votes NegativePositive

11 days 16 hours ago...

ouch looks like the other guys wasn`t paying attention.

Bosstone : LVL 17: VP 2.6: said:

Bosstone

-6 votes NegativePositive

11 days 14 hours ago...

What a wimp he should have got back up and finished the game, instead of causing that giant delay. Haha jk

Gedubedahd : LVL 17: VP 2.6: said:

Gedubedahd

1 votes NegativePositive

11 days 1 hour ago...

The guy who nearly got decaptitated is actually a rookie in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), meaning he`s 15-16 years old.

The aggressor is actually a 5th and final year veteran of the OHL, 20-21 years old.

meshblorg : LVL 21: VP 3: said:

meshblorg

1 votes NegativePositive

10 days 23 hours ago...

This looked totally legit. If you`re next to the walls of the ring with the puck and the goalie is out of position, be expected to have this happen to you. His elbows weren`t even up.

Groove Musheen : LVL 12: VP 2.1: said:

Groove Musheen

0 votes NegativePositive

10 days 23 hours ago...

15 years old to 21 years old is too big of a difference.
I can`t believe it.
Even 16 to 20 is pretty unfair, it`s not chess or guitar playing here, it`s friggin hockey.

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Entry Dates: 9/8/2007-9/14/2009